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Noa Sokatch gives the low-down on the new and easy way to get around

By | April 1, 2013

Cars With Facial Hair

by Noa Sokatch

Have you ever wondered why there are so many cars with pink mustaches? Apparently, they are a new method of public transportation called Lyft. 23-year-old Laura Whiteside has ridden in a car with one of these pink mustaches. She said, “It was very clean, the driver was nice and it smelled like vanilla.” She added, “you download the app and pay the driver with a credit card. Then the app shows you all of the drivers around and you pick one. A little screen will pop up and show you a picture of your driver, his or her name, and type of car that he or she drives. Then the app sends a message to that driver, and they will pick you up.” On the map of the app the cars show up as balloons.

When you slide into the car, you will be greeted by a complimentary fist bump. Logan Green co-founder and CEO of Zimride, explains “it doesn’t feel like you’re having your own private driver, it feels like one of your friends are picking you up.” The price is cheaper than your average Taxi cab. “The prices are designed to be affordable … roughly 30 percent less,” said Tomio Geron in a Forbes article.

The company’s two colors are green and (obviously) pink, because they are friendly colors. Pink stands for the mustache. The pink mustaches were a way to make the service appear safe and appealing, especially for women. They also make them because they look more interesting than other company logos. Also, they stand out. The mustaches are stuck onto the front of the car, on the grill. The cars themselves are owned by the people who drive them. Unlike taxis, Lyft cars are all different cars.

Founder John Zimmer says, “Building this community is what drives me and makes me so happy to work on this.” So, next time that you need a Lyft, you know who to call!